Accessing rendered graphics over the internet

Abstract

A system and method for accessing rendered graphics over a computer network is described. In accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention, an application renders graphics on a server machine in response to a request from a client, takes a snapshot of the output of the rendered graphical images, compresses the rendered images, and sends them through the computer network to the client. On the client's side, the compressed, rendered snapshot images are decompressed and displayed. The rendered-graphics experience is the same as if the application were rendered on the local machine. Exemplary embodiments may be configured to use lossless compression schemes like GIF and also lossy compression schemes like JPEG and MPEG. In one exemplary embodiment, the client machine uses a web browser to view the snapshots of the rendered images after they are uncompressed by the client.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for accessing graphics over a computer network for a computer system comprising a client-side system and a server-side system comprising: 
 receiving a request from a client associated with the client-side system, wherein the request comprises a request for a rendered graphic;    performing a graphical rendering process;    taking a snapshot of an output of the graphical rendering process;    compressing the snapshot; and    sending the compressed snapshot to the client-side system.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of receiving a request for a snapshot from the client.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of compressing the snapshot further comprises: 
 starting a compression algorithm module; and    processing a snapshot in the compression algorithm module.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of compressing the snapshot further comprises using a lossless compression scheme.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of using a lossless compression scheme further comprises using a Graphic Interchange File (GIF) scheme.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of compressing the snapshot further comprises using a lossy compression scheme.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of using a lossy compression scheme further comprises using an Motion Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) scheme.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of using a lossy compression scheme further comprises using, a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) Scheme.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of taking a snapshot further comprises the step of determining whether a snapshot has been taken for all of the output of the graphical rendering process.  
     
     
         10 . A computer system operable to access rendered graphics across a computer network, comprising a server-side system comprising a server, wherein the server system is operable to: 
 receive a request over the computer network from a client-side system comprising a client, wherein the request requires graphical rendering;    perform a graphics rendering in accordance with the request to produce a rendered graphics;    take a snapshot of the rendered graphics;    compress the snapshot to produce a compressed snapshot; and    transmit the compressed snapshot to the client-side system.    
     
     
         11 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer network is a local area network (LAN).  
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer network is a wide area network (WAN).  
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 12 , wherein the computer network is an Internet.  
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the server-side system is operable to receive a request for a snapshot from the client-side system.  
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 14 , wherein the server-side system further comprises a compression module operable to process a snapshot in accordance with a selected compression algorithm.  
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the server-side system is operable to compress the snapshot in accordance with a lossless compression technique.  
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the compression technique is a Graphics Interchange File (GIF) scheme.  
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the server system is operable to compress the snapshot in accordance with a lossy compression technique.  
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the compression technique is a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) scheme.  
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the compression technique is a Motion Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) scheme.